Vegetarian dietary patterns may reduce cardiovascular disease risk
Share on Pinterest Adopting a vegetarian diet may benefit heart health. Jen Grantham/Stocksy Researchers investigated the effects of vegetarian dietary patterns on those with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. They found that eating plant-based diets for six months improved several measures of cardiometabolic risk, such as cholesterol and blood sugar. Eating a more plant-based diet may benefit those at high risk of cardiovascular conditions. In 2019, 17.9 million people had a form of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at the time of death, accounting for 32% of deaths worldwide. Of these deaths, 85% were due to a heart attack or stroke. Studies show that CVD often develops due to lifestyle factors, such as diet, smoking and physical inactivity. Practical interventions that may improve cardiometabolic risk profiles are thus key to reducing CVD rates. An increasing amount of research shows that vegetarian diets may be effective in preventing CVD. However, little is unknown about how these...